Ren

Born Ren Erin Gill on 29 March 1990 in Bangor, Gwynedd, North Wales, Ren is a Welsh songwriter, musician, and rapper who earned his stripes as a member of indie hip-hoppers Trick the Fox and busking group The Big Push in the late 2000s. Raised on the Isle of Anglesey in North Wales, he had intentions of becoming a musician from the age of 12, and famously taught himself the guitar by slowing down Jimi Hendrix and John Frusciante songs. He also began making beats on his computer around this time. After getting diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2016, he was forced to take a step back from performing to stay at home and recuperate, during which he began writing music in his bedroom. This music would form the backbone of his debut album, Freckled Angels, released in 2016 as a tribute to Welsh 19-year-old Joe Hughes, who disappeared off Anglesey's Menai Bridge in the early hours of 28 December 2010. His first single, "Jessica," was also released in 2016. EP The Tale of Jenny & Screech followed in 2019, and he found viral fame with the video and non-album single "Hi Ren" in 2022. Meanwhile, he continued to tour with The Big Push, who embarked on a sold-out UK tour in 2021 but subsequently parted ways, partly due to Ren's health issues. He poured his experiences of mental health and physical illness into his second album, Sick Boi, which grabbed the UK number one spot in October 2023. 2024 saw the release of a string of new singles, including "Troubles" (#12) and "Slaughter House" featuring Kit (#47).